The launches of Hotel Kansas City and Grand Wuji Hotel, Nanjing represent the latest phase in the continued growth of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt.

These two new properties maintain the philosophy of Hyatt Hotels Corporation’s high-profile collection of ‘thoughtfully curating stories worth collecting’, from their design to the lifestyle they afford. We take a look at both hotels in more detail.

A homage to local culture

The 272-room Grand Wuji Hotel in Nanjing made its debut on 29 September and the 144-key Hotel Kansas City followed close behind, opening on 1 October. The former combines an appreciation for Nanjing’s cultural heritage with a wellbeing offering drawing on traditional Chinese wellness, while the latter celebrates its home’s history as a prominent 1920s social club and the community’s modern makers through the design of Chicago-based Simeone Deary Design Group.

“As the doors of Hotel Kansas City open, a new chapter is unfolding in the city around us,” said Ryan Baldwin, Hotel Kansas City general manager. “Our team likes to say, what we do is ‘by Kansas City and for Kansas City’, signifying that our collective love of the town and excitement to uplift its local makers has lined every moment of the hotel’s development. This renewal of the hotel moved beyond space’s walls and into the fabric of our community.”

“We are very excited to welcome guests to experience an extraordinary journey at Grand Wuji Hotel,” added Jenkin Li, Grand Wuji Hotel’s general manager. “At Grand Wuji Hotel, the essence of a healthy lifestyle is integrated into every detail of the guest experience. The result is a revitalising sanctuary that nourishes mind, body and soul, filled with the cultural heritage of Nanjing, the ancient capital of the Six Dynasties in China.”

One-of-a-kind lifestyle offerings

Making a mark in the city’s Central Business District, Hotel Kansas City contains 144 Victorian-inspired guest rooms and suites, featuring design details honouring the site’s history as a Midwestern social club. These rooms are joined by four restaurants and bars, merging the building’s history with its new beginning through a collaboration with local purveyors. The Town Company was developed by Kansas City native and James Beard Foundation-recognised chef Patrick Ryan and the lobby bar and coffee post was created in partnership with a local roaster; in 2021, the hotel will introduce its cellar saloon El Gold.

At Grand Wuji Hotel, the focus is on providing a one-of-a-kind wellness journey following the mantra ‘Stay, Nourish, Heal’. Previously known as The Yovoy Hotel, this property takes its new name from the concept of there being five seasons in Mandarin, and this idea is also the foundation for the wellness experience here. The hotel’s 272 guest rooms, including 56 suites, are designed for wellbeing with Chinese design elements, a ‘health corner’ and a smart mirror offering guests personalised health data and music tailored to the season.

Spanning 31,000 sq m, the rest of the hotel is home to a fitness centre, Energy Room, indoor garden-view pool and Zen Tea Room. The hotel’s four freestanding buildings are linked by a central garden for meditation, outdoor yoga and Tai Chi; Oriental Zen minimalism distinguishes the interiors, decorated with natural woods and textured stone. Restaurants focusing on seasonal, nourishing cuisine range from LVQI Lobby Bar complete with seasonal changing waterscape, vegan restaurant Jia Shu, Cantonese and Huaiyang dining spot Jade Court and all-day garden-view restaurant Five Tastes.

Both hotels come with an impressive array of event space too. Organisers can choose between historic and modern spaces encompassed within Hotel Kansas City’s 26,000 sq ft of event space, from The Grill Room with hand-painted murals to the 6,000 sq ft rooftop. And the Grand Wuji Hotel’s 3,000 sq m of meeting venues includes spaces such as the 1,200 sq m Five Seasons Banquet Hall and an inner courtyard for truly spectacular weddings.

Let’s take a look at some more projects by the Unbound Collection in the US and China: